Effort to Give TSA Screeners Union Rights Advances

TSA officials said steps have been taken to ensure that security screeners can share their views with agency management. An employee advisory council brings in screeners from around the country to offer advice on compensation and other issues, and the TSA is rolling out a model workplace program to airports to teach employees and managers how to collaborate and resolve workplace issues, the officials said.

"This is our way to get our employees heard and let them have a voice and a seat at the table," said Gale Rossides, an associate administrator at the TSA.

The agency recently completed its first year under a pay-for-performance system that was designed with feedback from more than 4,000 employees, "telling us what was important," Rossides said.

Turnover at the TSA is declining and compares favorably with the transportation and utilities industries, Rossides said. In fiscal 2006, the TSA's attrition rate was 16.5 percent, while turnover was 19.6 percent in transportation-utilities sector, she said.

"We are continuing to focus to drive that number down," Rossides added.

Talk Shows

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Steven L. Katz, a former Senate committee counsel and a former federal agency executive, will be the guest on "FedTalk" at 11 a.m. today on federalnewsradio.com and WFED radio (1050 AM).

John Salamone, executive director of the Chief Human Capital Officers Council at the Office of Personnel Management, will be the guest on "The IBM Business of Government Hour" at 9 a.m. tomorrow on WJFK radio (106.7 FM).

Stephen Barr's e-mail address isbarrs@washpost.com.